Six militants killed in factional clash in Indian state of Manipur

Aizawl, March 6 : Talking to reporters Aizawl Superintendent of Police L.T. Hrangchal today revealed that six members of the Hmar National Army were shot to dead in an execution style killing by people believed to be members of the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) outfit on Sunday midnight.

Hrangchal said the information came to the Sakawrdai police station conveyed by the village council president of Tinghmun village in north east Mizoram under Aizawl district on Monday morning after the villagers were informed of seeing bodies near the Tuiruang river early Monday morning.

“Some non-Mizos who had been working in the jungle cutting down bamboos heard gunshots at about midnight on Sunday and when they investigated the area early on Monday, they found some bodies. Going to Tinghmun village which is about ten kilometers from the river, the non-Mizos reported the incident to the village authorities who immediately went to the river to confirm the story. The village authorities then reported the incident to the police in Sakawrdai,” he said, adding that the SDPO there went immediately to Tinghmun and then to the river which is not reachable by vehicle.

He said the police found six bodies which had been shot at close range and that the bodies have been identified as Lalngaisanga, Laldituma, Sawngneihthuam, Buangthangvunga, all of Parbung village Manipur and Rohminglian of Sihpuikawn, Manipur and Tlangmawia of Khawlian, Mizoram. They all belong to the Hmar National Army.

The SP said investigations have led them to believe that the killings was the work of the HPC (D) because the police learned that the HPC (D) had kidnapped these people some time on February 20 or 21, 2007 in Assam’s Cachar district at a place called Jolkhala.

The police also recovered 9 AK 47 empty cartridges and a bullet that had failed to fire at the scene of the killings.-Newslink